Spanish PM accuses judges of ‘doing politics’ in graft cases

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the cases against his relatives were baseless and driven by complaints from far-right groups. Photo / Getty Images

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez today accused some judges of “doing politics” as he faces mounting pressure over corruption cases affecting his inner circle, including his wife and brother.

The graft cases have led the opposition to demand Sanchez’s resignation and increased political polarisation in Spain, where he leads a minority leftist Government that struggles to pass legislation.

“That there are judges who do politics and politicians who try to do justice, there is no doubt,” Sanchez said during an interview with public television station TVE when asked about the corruption cases.

“Fortunately, it is a minority, but it exists and it causes terrible damage, immense harm to justice and to the judiciary.”

The Socialist leader, in power since 2018, said the cases against his relatives were baseless and driven by complaints from far-right groups.

“Never would I have thought that this could happen to a person with political responsibilities, especially when it comes from false accusations, press clippings from far-right organisations that present them in some courts to open a case,” he said.

Sanchez’s wife, Begona Gomez, has been under investigation since April last year for alleged corruption and influence-peddling related to her past academic job at Madrid’s Complutense University.

His younger brother, David Sanchez, is under investigation for alleged embezzlement, influence-peddling, and tax fraud.

The Prime Minister’s former right-hand man, Santos Cerdan, was detained in June in a probe into kickbacks for public contracts.

Former Transport Minister Jose Luis Abalos and his adviser Koldo Garcia are also under investigation in the same case.

“I had no objective information indicating that they could commit supposed acts of corruption,” Sanchez said when asked about that case, rejecting claims of “systemic corruption” within his Socialist Party.

Sanchez’s minority coalition Government relies on the support of several other smaller parties from across the political spectrum that support it on a vote-by-vote basis and which have often opposing demands.

It has struggled to pass legislation in Parliament, prompting speculation that the Government could roll over the Budget for a second year.

Sanchez said his Government would still present a Budget for this year and would “fight to get it approved”.

He rejected the idea of stepping down if the Government could not pass a spending plan, warning that snap elections would lead to paralysis.

The head of the main opposition Popular Party (PP), Alberto Nunez Feijoo, urged Sanchez to resign if he cannot secure approval of a Budget.

The PP currently tops opinion polls. It has 34.4% support, according to a survey published today in centre-right daily newspaper El Mundo, ahead of Sanchez’s Socialists with 27%.

-Agence France-Presse